The Daily Valet. - 2/10/23, Friday

✔️ Betting on the Big Game

Friday, February 10th Edition

By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor

I'm not much of a football fan, but I love the Super Bowl ... if only for the food.

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Today’s Big Story

Betting on the Super Bowl

This year's game will be played in a state with legalized sports betting for the first time

Who do you have winning the Super Bowl this weekend? Are you confident enough to put some money down on it? According to Fox Business, last year's big game saw almost $8 billion worth of wagers, but this year's Super Bowl is expected to surpass last year's betting totals.Over 50 million fans will bet an estimated $16 billion on Sunday's game between the Eagles and the Chiefs, according to data from the American Gaming Association. That represents a 110% increase from the $7.61 billion wagered on Super Bowl LVI and follows a 78% jump from 2021.Bill Miller, President and CEO of the American Gaming Association, said that roughly 20% of Americans will participate in a Super Bowl-related wager this week. And it's not just the game—you might be interested to know that you can engage in all sorts of fun prop bets between now and kickoff. According to FiveThirtyEight, some don't even require any football-related knowledge.Super Bowl 57 will be played at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, a state which legalized sports betting in 2021. That means fans in attendance will be able to bet while at the game using their phones. The increase in the number of people who can legally place a sports bet can be attributed to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 that cleared the way for states to allow sports wagering.Even as legal gambling has spread to two-thirds of U.S. states, independent analysts say only about $1 billion of the total being wagered on Sunday will happen through casinos, racetracks or companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings—whose ads have become ubiquitous during sporting events. If you're still considering a wager, the Eagles were 1.5-point favorites over the Chiefs on FanDuel, which provided odds to the Associated Press.

Puppy Bowl:

The Puppy Bowl is an alternative to the big game aimed to bring awareness about animal adoption.

Chinese Balloon Drama Continues

U.S. declassifies balloon intelligence and calls out China for spying

The State Department on Thursday released details about China’s high-altitude balloon surveillance program, declassifying information collected by U.S. U-2 spy planes and other sources to expose what the Biden administration is calling a sophisticated effort to surveil “more than 40 countries across five continents.”While the Chinese government previously said the balloon was a civilian aircraft being used primarily for meteorological purposes, a State Dept. spokesperson said the equipment on the balloon was “inconsistent” with the kind typically found on weather balloons.Much of the information released by the State Department was revealed earlier this week by the Washington Post, but its wider publication to the media suggested an effort by the U.S. government to name and shame Beijing's surveillance tactics. At a press conference Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning did not confirm allegations the balloon had been one of many the Chinese government deployed across five continents. She instead reiterated the Chinese government's stance that the balloon had crossed into U.S. airspace unintentionally.

Meanwhile:

Australia is removing all Chinese-made surveillance cameras from government buildings on the grounds that they pose a security risk.

Partner

Now's the time to order those flowers

Don’t just pick up any old flowers for Valentine’s Day. This company has made a name for themselves with tasteful arrangements that suit a variety of styles.

An Easy Way to Get Quality Sleep

eye masks make losing sleep a thing of the past

Around 33% of Americans don't get enough sleep. And a lot of us have tried all sorts of tactics in order to get some more shut-eye, but one underutilized option might be one of the best. An old fashioned eye mask. You know, like you wear on the plane.“Eye masks can provide total darkness, which generally improves overall sleep since you’re not bothered by external light,” David Rubin, a certified sleep science coach, tells Byrdie. He notes that less nighttime interruptions means you are likely to get more REM sleep, which the National Sleep Foundation defines as the stage of sleep where most of our dreaming takes place, accounting for about 25% of our sleep time.What's more, the subtle pressure the masks put on the eyelids has been found to actually help reduce tension and stress. Plus, when we toss and turn at night, we're actually rubbing against our pillows and bedding. Wearing an eye mask can act almost like a protective layer to avoid any skin damage from the friction—resulting in less puffiness and dark circles come morning.

My Favorite:

I tested this silk mask from Drowsy for a story and it's become my go-to when I need to sleep in or take a late flight.

Chick-fil-A’s New Meatless Sandwich

The ‘Plant-Forward’ Option Doesn’t Have Fake Meat

Chick-fil-A's not exactly known for its inclusive politics, but the chain is now testing a product that's trying to usher in at least one additional customer demographic: non-meat-eaters. Their newest sandwich ditches the namesake chicken for … cauliflower.The brand is currently working on a fried cauliflower sandwich, which it describes as a “plant-forward” entrée. The cruciferous vegetable is sliced into a “patty” that is then marinated and breaded in the same ingredients as the brand's beloved chicken sandwich, then pressure fried and served on a buttered bun with pickles.The brand is rolling out the cauliflower sandwich in three test markets on February 13; Denver, Charleston, S.C. and North Carolina’s Greensboro-Triad region. Apparently, the new pilot menu item took four years to develop. But to be clear, this seems to be a vegetarian menu item, not vegan. Eggs and milk are used to make the sandwich and there are no “vegetarian only” food prep surfaces where this is made, the chain's press release explained.

In Other News

Mike Pence Subpoenaed by Special Counsel

They're overseeing probes into former President Donald Trump.

Man Who Carried a Confederate Flag in the Capitol on Jan. 6 Is Sentenced to 3 Years

What Happens When the TSA Finds Weed In Your Bag?

Woodford Reserve Has Appointed Its First Female Master Distiller

Have you heard about ...

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Nike Film ‘Air’

This vintage Yellowstone tour bus

Phoebe Philo’s return

A Weekend Pairing

‘You’ + a Gimlet Cocktail

Are your ready for the fourth installment of Netflix’s thriller You? Joe Goldberg, the New York murderer turned L.A. murderer is taking his questionable talents to Europe, where he'll be masquerading as a professor in London. In his first voice-over of the season, he says that Love (not the emotion that drives us all, but the woman he married, murdered, and then framed for his murder before fleeing California for Europe) burned him out. He’s ready for a change.For the last three seasons, there’s been a familiar formula to the show. Joe (played by Penn Badgley) becomes obsessed with a woman, stalks her before they become romantically involved. He then goes to great—and bloody—lengths to try and ensure the success of their relationship. But things are different this season. Not only are we in a new country, but we find Joe on the back foot, being manipulated by a mysterious enemy who may be an even more accomplished killer. After members of the ultra-rich group of friends he resentfully joins start dying, Joe has to find the killer before he’s framed for crimes he actually didn’t commit this time.

Pair It With

Essentially a Gin Sour made with lime juice, legend has it that the Gimlet was created in the mid-19th century to encourage Royal Navy sailors to consume their rations of scurvy-preventing lime juice. It’s been a British favorite ever since.

Also Worth a Watch:

‘Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special’ on HBO Max, ‘Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence’ on Hulu, ‘Marvel Studios Legends: Ant-Man’ on Disney+

Partner

These Are the Last Minute Flowers You Need Now

Treat that special someone to a truly special arrangement

This is the big day. Valentine’s Day is not the occasion to show up with some sad flowers that came home with you from the grocery store. Or the tacky yet underwhelming arrangements that often get marked up for the holiday. We like turning to UrbanStems. The brand has a solid reputation thanks to their tasteful arrangements that suit a variety of styles and budgets. Which means they're as good for your significant other as they are for your best friend or even your mom. After all, who doesn't like being known as a gentleman who sends flowers?Flowers are the ultimate romantic gesture. But they can also be a token of your affection, a reminder that you're thinking of someone or simply a stylish bouquet that you know will make someone's day a bit better. And while quality roses are always a sure bet, don't be afraid to go outside the norm and select blooms that feature your partner's favorite color. You'll always get points for trying.